JACKSON, Mo. -- Lawrence Kasten, an administrative law judge from Cape Gir-ardeau, filed Friday for Division III associate circuit judge.

Kasten's filing sets up a Republican Party primary contest in August with incumbent Judge Gary Kamp.

No Democrats have filed for the job. The filing period for county offices ends March 26.

A 1979 graduate of Jackson High School, Kasten has held a number of law jobs since graduating from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., in 1987.

Kasten worked as an assistant city attorney in Jackson and then as assistant prosecuting attorney for Cape Girardeau County before taking a position in 1990 as associate administrative law judge for the state's Division of Workers' Compensation.

As an administrative law judge for the past 12 years, Kasten has presided at more than 20,000 docket settings and resolved more than 9,000 cases.

"I think I have an excellent ability to listen to both sides and render a fair and impartial decision," Kasten said.

Kasten is a longtime member of St. Andrew Lutheran Church. He and his wife, Alison, have an 8-year-old daughter.